Pipeline partnerships ride rise in oil output

New York

WHILE oil prices plunged last year, one corner of the energy market stood out for US investors: partnerships that own pipelines and storage tanks.

Companies that operate the oil industry's basic infrastructure typically have long-term contracts, and are less vulnerable to price swings. And since crude prices are down in part because US production is booming, there's more need for their services, boosting their value to investors.

Master limited partnerships, or MLPs, typically pay no corporate income tax, allowing them to return more cash to shareholders in distributions. Last year, they raised a record US$6.4 billion in initial public of…